2024 Hyundai Tucson vs 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson, introduced in its current generation in 2022, continued to impress with its striking design. Its sharp angles and unique features, such as headlights that seamlessly blend into the grille, created a bold yet cohesive look. Even in a typically unflattering white color, the Tucson maintained a sharp and contemporary appearance. Unlike some luxury brands that replicate designs across models, Hyundai ensured each vehicle had its own distinct style. The Tucson's interior mirrored its exterior's modernity, offering a refined cabin with advanced technology that remained user-friendly. However, the absence of a volume dial in favor of touch-capacitive buttons was a minor inconvenience. The Tucson's trim levels, from SE to Limited, offered a range of features, with the Limited trim providing luxurious touches like ventilated front seats and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold design that could polarize opinions, particularly with its flat, wide grille. The vehicle's personality shifted with different colors and trims, with darker shades offering a more harmonious look. The X-Line and X-Pro models featured distinctive grille designs and amber accent lights. The Telluride's side profile showcased unique fender sculpting and black plastic tabs, while the rear adopted a Range Rover-like style with rounded corners and vertical taillights. Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard layout. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim, with its optional Executive package, offered a luxurious two-tone palette reminiscent of Volvo. However, the silver button labeling was difficult to read. The seats, covered in synthetic leather and suede, provided comfort, though the cushions were somewhat firm for long drives. The Telluride's interior materials were of high quality, with various trim surface options available.

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, offered front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. While adequate for city driving, the engine struggled to deliver quick acceleration on highways, often requiring heavy throttle input. For those seeking more power, the Tucson Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid variants offered 226 and 261 horsepower, respectively. The Tucson's handling and ride quality were commendable, providing a comfortable and well-rounded driving experience, though not as sporty as some competitors.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, generating 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid version, with electric motors and a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increased output to 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid system, paired with a six-speed transmission, offered a smooth and quiet ride, with seamless transitions between electric and gas power. The Telluride's ride comfort was impressive, even in the off-road-capable X-Pro Prestige trim. The vehicle's handling was composed, instilling confidence on winding roads, though it wasn't particularly sporty. The brake pedal effort was soft, requiring some adjustment, but the vehicle responded well in emergency stops.

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson offered up to 74.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 38.7 cubic feet with them in use, making it one of the roomiest in its class. The hands-free power liftgate, available on SEL trims and above, provided convenience without the need for awkward foot movements. The Tucson comfortably seated five passengers, with ample headroom and legroom in both rows. The cabin featured numerous storage options, including deep cup holders and a center tray with a wireless charging pad.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid provided generous space for adults in all three rows, though the third row was better suited for smaller passengers due to low-mounted seat cushions. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim offered power-adjustable second-row seats with heating and ventilation, though they were slow to slide and tilt for third-row access. The Telluride's cargo capacity was competitive, with up to 89.3 cubic feet available with the second-row seats folded. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. The Telluride also featured ample storage for personal items, with a large center bin, deployable cupholders, and additional trays and bins throughout the cabin.

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson's standard infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system was user-friendly, with home buttons for easy navigation. Higher trims featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a fully digital instrument panel, though they lacked wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Tucson's remote start system was intuitive, allowing drivers to start the vehicle remotely and drive off without pressing the start button.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid came equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch climate control screen. The system included native navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual wireless phone chargers. While the infotainment system was generally easy to use, it occasionally required hard taps to register inputs. The climate control screen was difficult to see while driving, but physical temperature control buttons were available. The Telluride's infotainment system offered customizable themes, and the SX trim and above featured a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system.

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson came standard with a suite of driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Limited trim added advanced features like a 360-degree parking camera system and Hyundai's Smart Park remote-parking feature. The Tucson received high safety ratings from the IIHS, earning a Top Safety Pick+ designation, though its standard headlights were rated "Acceptable."

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid included standard safety features such as frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The Telluride's driver attention monitor occasionally triggered false alerts at night, and the blind-spot cameras were more distracting than helpful. The highway driving assist system, however, was effective in maintaining lane position and speed on long trips.